Plastic Planet

It is the Age of Plastic. It's cheap, practical, and everywhere. But is it dangerous? Viewers are taken on a journey around the globe, from the Moroccan Sahara to the middle of the Pacific Ocean, from a factory in China to the Alps to reveal the far-flung reaches of the plastic problem. Interviews with experts in biology, pharmacology, and genetics shed light on the perils of plastic to the environment and expose the truth of how plastic affects the body, and the health of future generations.

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Terrific documentary! A little serious and investigative, a little flippant, a little humorous, and it all adds up to something that one would do well to research further (and become politically active about). I found most startling the fact that the chemicals and the processes to make plastics is largely secret. How do they do the health checking?

As already mentioned, this is low-key exposition by someone who understands the history of plastics and realizes that they provide both benefits (mostly for producers) and risks (especially for the environment). \\ Overall, risks seem to outweigh benefits. Production relies on oil and involves chemicals that are harmful to humans and other species. Because of their complex makeup, they cannot easily be repurposed or recycled. As a result, plastics and their byproducts are found everywhere on the planet. \\ It was shocking to see: how many plastic products are in average homes (in both the first and third worlds); how much plastic residue has made its way into our oceans; how unconcerned producers are about their negative effects. \\ Wherever possible, consumers should aim to reject plastic-based products and packaging, in favour of more sustainable and less environmentally damaging alternatives.

The science behind plastics is both fascinating and disturbing. The sad reality is that until an affordable, equally durable, less environmentally destructive alternative is found, plastics will continue to impact daily lives worldwide.

real_thing
Jul 27, 2013

wut i dont understand is, how is something that is made out of CRUDE OIL and the most commonly used be in the least demand of making money off of scapp?????? this movie will make u say, wut the fuznuk. U got to watch the whole thing

This was in my opinion a waste of film (and hence plastic). A meager attempt to bring awarness to HOW MUCH plastic is in our lives. The lackluster manner in which the interviewer poses his questions and commentary is rather uninspiring. Also the questions he chooses to ask to plastics industry insiders seemd to me a waste of effort they were all open ended questions where vagueness reigns supreme. I reached the part where they enter the grounds of a plastic factory and I had to stop.....I could not continue watching it was giving me a headache. I was left with the impression that the filmmaker did not really care about his chosen topic but was filming for films sake Over all rather disapointing.

I hope that everyone will watch this. Of course, one has to prove the facts just like with every other source of information. However, the information is very well presented in this documentary. Fact is: Plastic is everywhere and we have to face that we are not even able to live without it (e.g. syringes and other medical material). It is shocking to look around and to realize how dependent we are on plastic! Since I watched this DVD I absolutely do not buy anything from Nestle anymore, their ethical views on the world and resources are absolutely disgusting. We are the consumers. The whole market out there is adapting to our choices of purchase, therefore it is in our hands to change things to the better.

oo
Dec 30, 2011

A *lot* more interesting that the title would suggest. (Though I have yet to thoroughly check out the credentials of the experts, made harder in that even in the PDF file the info is a little light about that.) There are a lot of small bits of humor, especially because the guy, on one level really *loves* plastic.

This was a really interesting, low-key DVD that examines the plastic industry from the perspective of a gentleman who is as fascinated by plastic as he is worried by it. The most galling thing to realize is that we cannot get away from plastics, no matter where we are located on this planet. It was interesting to see how much plastic is in each person's house, including a shack in India. Also worrisome is how the plastics industry is allowed to hide their products.